WrestleMania 29: What will Undertaker's possible absence mean for CM Punk?

With each passing day it looks more and more likely that Undertaker won't work WrestleMania 29 this year, scheduled for Sun., April 7, 2013, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. And if that's the case, it will leave a big gaping hole in the match card.

It will also leave CM Punk without a dance partner for the big show.

While it's never been set in stone that the two were planned to work together, the build to the big event this year has made it quite clear that it's the best option for both men. The Rock is headed for a rematch with John Cena while Brock Lesnar and Triple H are getting closer to making their second bout official.

That leaves Undertaker vs. Punk. The problem with that, as the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter points out, is "The Deadman" has yet to commit to working WrestleMania.

At press time, there was no update on Undertaker at Mania. Right now the plan is Undertaker vs. Punk until he says he's not doing the show, but there is no commitment now that he is doing the show. His body is in really bad shape, particularly his hip and shoulder. Friends of his are hoping he doesn't do the show. As far as what happens involving Punk if the match is off, we don't have a hint. To me, the best bets are either a singles match with Ryback, which changes his plans for the show, or adding him as a third guy in Rock vs. Cena.

We've been hearing for years that Undertaker has a badly bruised up body that will force him into retirement before we know it but he's always managed to make his way to "The Grand Daddy of Them All" to put on a consistent contender for "Match of the Year."

Perhaps that's part of the problem. Eventually his body won't allow him to work at that level.

As for Punk, that leaves him out in the cold with a nary a major star to work with. After his 400+ consecutive day run with the WWE championship, he deserves an opponent the caliber of Undertaker but with Lesnar, Triple H, Rock, and even Cena all booked up, what else is there for him?

Ryback was hot late last year but he's nowhere near the level he was after he was jobbed out in consecutive pay-per-views (PPV), even if he didn't go down clean. And the appeal of a triple threat match involving Rock and Cena, while potentially strong, would likely hurt business just enough that it may not be worth it.

But again, what's left for Punk? You Cagesiders got any bright ideas?